


Malice Cursed

by VideoDame



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: M/M, Malice - Freeform, and aptulo is a thresher shark, braniks a dunkleosteus btw, i just had to get this in writing, its mostly ocs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 16:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15975695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VideoDame/pseuds/VideoDame
Summary: A Zora blacksmith gets infected with Malice, and Link is asked to handle the situation. Unfortunately, this Zora is 12 ft and armored.





	Malice Cursed

**Author's Note:**

> A fic I wrote for both myself and a friend of our Zora ocs, with Link as the main guy, of course. Enjoy!

Ash, smoke, and buildings with visible tears and smash marks greeted Link as he made his way through the east end of the Promenade. Here, the gorge gave way to land, and the beginnings of Mount Lanayru were visible through spaces in the thick smoke clouds. Fire still flared on grass and other nearby foliage, but what really caught the Hylian's eyes were the varied scorch and scratch marks on the stone ground.

 

He had been told of a Zora - _"A beast! Monster!"_ some cried to him - that was infected by leftover Malice that had poisoned the water of the newly rebuilt Promenade. The other residents were evacuated, and thankfully this was the only Zora known to be infected. Guards were sent to take care of the situation, but returned injured and frightened, ranting about the unfairness of the battle. The Hylian tried to get a briefing from the Zora Lieutenant who was in charge of the Promenade, but the Zora refused to talk about the situation. He looked very troubled about it, but Link dismissed it as stress. Instead, he questioned the soldiers who had returned with him.

 

_ "He's too big! My sword can only reach his legs." _

_ "I tried to go for his ankles, but he always sees me coming, no matter how much we try to distract him." _

_ "Arrows just bounce off of him. I shot one at his darker scales, and it was able to wound him, but it just wasn't enough." _

_ "I heard he bit through a Lynel's throat. Those teeth are massive." _

 

They told him he was dangerous, but if there was anyone who could take this Zora down, it was the Hero of Hyrule. 

 

Hopefully.

 

The most important thing, they told him, is that his sight is better than his hearing. The hulking Zora could spot him through the thick ash and smoke, so it was best to be quiet and out of sight if he wanted to be the first to strike. So that's where Link found himself now, carefully stepping through the ruins of what looked to be an extension to the Promenade with nothing but his weapons, armor, and the name of the Zora in question.

 

Branik.

 

The Hero felt like he had heard the name before, mentioned through the guards at the Domain and the Promenade when chatting about armor and weapons, and even the few times he was in Gerudo town. He must be a blacksmith, and now the career rings a bell in his mind.

 

Unfortunately, Link was brought out of his train of thought when his foot knocked a stone around, making soft cracks against the uneven ground. Quickly, his head shot up, looking around to make sure whatever was here, didn't hear that. At first, he thought he was in the clear, and was about to begin his trek again- until his ears picked up a loud, distant scraping sound. It was getting closer.

 

Link practically flung himself to cover, the nearest safe area being behind a fallen column. He pressed his back to it, listening closely. Closer, and closer, the scraping sound came. It wasn't until the sound stopped and was replaced by low, deep growls, did the Hylian dare a glance around the broken structure. There, in the clearing where Link once stood, was a large figure shielded by soot and smoke of nearby fire. The Hylian could make out small gleams of metal whenever sunlight was able to break through the smoke, and the tell-tale faint pink glow of Malice covering what looked like the beast's head, arms, and even all the way down it's headtail. When the figure turned to face his direction in it's search for the source of the small sound Link had made earlier, he could see the glow of its eyes in plain view. The guard's back at the Promenade were right; this Zora was huge and intimidating. 

 

The large figure turned back into the smoke, voice low and mumbling words Link couldn't make out from this distance. The end of a Malice-infected tail disappeared into the smoke, and the Hylian took this chance to try and follow it. The closer he got to the large Zora, the more he could hear the gargled sounds of the Malice coating him and his words. The Zora was indeed mumbling, but the distortion in his voice was too much for Link to make out any clear words. He drew his bow and notched an arrow, aiming directly for the beast's exposed back.

 

The arrow flew, struck the back of the Zora, and fell to the ground. A sight dent was on the tip.

 

The figure in front of him whipped it's head around, and the second it's glowing eyes centered on Link, the Hylian could hear a snarl loud and clear through the smoke. His heart rate picked up in sudden fear, knowing his chances of winning this fight were numbered now that he ruined his chance at a first strike. Taking multiple steps back, he focused on not tripping over himself while he retreated away from the Zora.

 

The glow of the eyes got closer as the beast creeped in on it's new prey, the scraping sound returning. Link swore he saw sparks on the ground at the side of the Zora.

 

"Another one? Are you here to kill me too, just like the others?" It's voice was low, rough, and distorted. It sounded as if there was more than one voice speaking to him, and it made Link's skin crawl.

 

The Zora - Branik, Link remembered - emerged into the clear space Link was in, the black smog of Malice pouring out of the beast's snarling mouth as it stood to its full height. In the light, he could make out the features this creature had. The Hylian only just barely came to the others hips -that's how big and imposing Branik was. With the ash cleared, the Hero could make out the black and pale green colorings of the Zora. If Link were to have any chance at beating the giant Zora, he'd need to aim his shots perfectly to the black scales that lined only its sides, face, and few parts under its arms and legs. He realized that those must be the spots the guards from earlier were talking about, how they were the only areas arrows or blades could pierce. But what worried him the most, was the large swords that made up its arms, extending at the hands due to the amount of Malice fusing them there. So that was where the scraping sounds came from...

 

Notching another arrow, Link took his aim.

 

The Zora's lip curled more, revealing large teeth. "Here to slaughter me like the monster I am? Will you be successful?" His tone was taunting, and he raised both of the swords to be brought down on the Hylian.

 

The arrow was released, but only bounced off Branik's tough skin as Link tried to move out of the way of the swords. With a deafening crash, the swords hit the spot Link once stood, leaving a giant crater in the stone where they struck. In a sickening twist of metal on rocks, the swords were wrenched from the ground, and the large beast faced him again.

 

"I ruined so much, hurt so many...Even my own husband has tried to kill me," Branik lamented, his voice solemn inside it's gnarled tone, "I couldn't hurt him, but I can't say the same for his men."

 

His men. Link thought back to the Lieutenant who refused to speak to him about the issue, and how he dismissed it  as stress. Could it be possible that Link was sent to kill his husband?

 

The Hylian was brought out of his thoughts at the gleam of metal, the swords being raised and twisted behind Branik's back.

 

"He ran from me in fear!" With a cry of anguish, the hulking Zora swung the swords down at Link, the tips sending sparks as they grated against the ground. With only seconds to react, he  flipped back and away from the attack, shield raised to keep the sparks from hitting him. So that’s how the fires were started. 

 

Branik continued his barrage of attacks against the Hero, seeming to grow only angrier at his own thoughts.

 

"Everyone I've cared for has left! First, my mother wanted nothing to do with my family," the Zora began, deflecting an arrow with one of the swords. "Then my father was hunted like some prize out in the wild," The sword was brought down again, the force against the Hylian's shield knocking him back.

 

"My grandfather controlled my life for years, before he died too," another swipe at Link. "Any relationship ended in pain," and another swipe. Link was beginning to get exhausted from the battle already, and he barely made any moves at him. 

 

A thought came to his mind, and the Hylian notched an electric arrow. As Branik was readying another swipe downward, Link took the chance to quickly scope out his weak spots.

 

"And now my own husband runs from me in fear!" With a growl, the Zora brought the sword down again, the blade trailing sparks in its wake.

 

Taking the moment after launching himself backwards, the Hero aimed and shot his shock arrow directly at the Zora's side. The arrow hit its mark, just under Branik's ribs, and the Zora threw his head back with a cry of anguish. His body seized with the shock waves, muscles tense and stance failing. Watching the ordeal, Link noticed that the tell-tail "eye of Malice" had now opened at the center of Branik's face. Perfect, now he had an attack point.

 

Once the electricity had moved through his body, the beast finally fell to his knees, exhausted from the sudden stress to his body. Now granted an opening, Link launched himself forward and began laying blow after blow to the Zora's face as many times as he could. Each strike to his face made Branik grunt in pain, before the Hylians sword finally reached high enough where he could lay a clear blow to the eye of Malice. 

 

A piercing howl of agony sounded over the land, and Branik quickly stood and threw his head back, the eye closing again in pain. Shaking away the aftershocks, the Zora shot the Hylian a glare, snarl creeping its way back to his face. He raised himself back to his full height, the armored plates on his headtail seeming to raise in aggression, his entire appearance seeming to become more frightening. 

 

Link had found his tactic, and it was time to use it to his advantage. It was at this moment the Hylian's heart rate seemed to pick up, sheathing his sword and notching another shock arrow, ready and waiting for another opening to shoot.

 

Their battle kept on, Branik dealing swings of the large swords at the other, and Link dodging and launching his shock arrows to temporarily immobilize the Zora while he dealt blows to his face. In the end, Branik's face was littered in bleeding marks and wounds, the eye still open. Link was in a similar state, bruises and open wounds covered wherever skin was visible. There was a limp to his step, and a few of his ribs hurt whenver he breathed, but at least he was still standing. With a last hit, Link may be able to rid of the Malice for good.

 

"Just kill me," Branik's voice, distorted and altered, broke the silence again. "Even if the Malice is gone...the damage I have dealt will always be here. I will always be hated. Feared."

 

Link lowered his weapon, taking a few steps back from the other. The words struck him, because he was right, the destruction caused by this curse was irreversible.

 

The Zora continued, "Outsiders will hear of me, and hunt me down. I'm a danger to others, and a prize to be won. Just like my father."

 

Gripping the sword in his hands, Link made his way back over, raising the blade and taking careful aim. He could stab the eye of Malice, freeing Branik at last. Or... He could aim for his throat, thus preventing this from happening again and saving others in the long run. Teeth grinding in thought, and eyes staring at the bleeding face of a defeated Branik, the Hylian made his decision, and raised the sword higher.

 

"Stop! Enough!" a voice cried from behind Link, making the Hylian turn to see who had been brave enough to enter such a destroyed area. Branik's head shot up at the sound of said voice, eyes quickly landing on it's source.

 

There, in the dispersing ash and smoke, stood the Lieutenant from earlier. His teal scales were coated in soot that was floating around the air, and his shoulder armor shone in what little light made its way into the clearing. Breathing heavy, as if he had ran non-stop here, he made his way slowly forward. 

 

"Let me see him," the new Zora demanded lightly, and Link made sure to step far out of the way as to let him pass. Despite being slower thanks to his limp, he was able to give the two their space.

 

Branik didn't move from his spot, eyes never leaving the figure approaching him. His mouth opened slightly, soundless words spilling from his lips. 

 

"Aputlo..." a low whisper finally left him, sounding both astounded and relieved, "You're back...I thought-...I thought..." the large Zora trailed off as the other came closer, a hand softly making its way to his bloodied cheek.

 

The Lieutenant tsked, fingers trailing over the cuts in areas where Malice was not, "Look what he's done to you," Aptulo commented, voice somber, "I should have gotten here sooner."

 

Quickly leaning into the touch, the sting barely hurting, Branik gave a sigh, "You ran from me...are you not scared?"

 

"I was at first."

 

Link could see the wince in Branik's face as Aptulo said those words. It was clear to him now that this was the husband the large Zora had been talking about earlier, and he sheathed his sword in shame.

 

Aptulo continued, "But then... I realized, when I watched Link leave to kill you, that I should have never ran," swallowing thickly, a few tears ran down the teal Zora's face as he closed his eyes, "I knew you wouldn't hurt me, never would." 

 

His hand reached slowly behind him, and Link could see he was gripping the end of a dagger.

 

Leaning in to place a kiss to the side of Branik's mouth that wasn't infected, Aptulo's grip on the dagger tightened as he slid it from his sheath, "I want you to know I love you."

 

And with those words, whispered so tenderly to his love, the Lieutenant whipped the dagger from behind his back and buried it within the eye of Malice on Branik's face. The armored Zora wailed in pain, head whirling to the side, unable to clutch his face in pain due to the swords stuck to his arms. Instead, he kneeled there, Malice pouring around him from his body. 

 

Aptulo stumbled backward, a hand clutching his chest as he endours his husband's agonized shrieks. He knew it would be over soon, and his love will return to normal, but the sight still pained him to watch.

 

Branik's head dipped closer to the ground, body convulsing as the Malice finally began to disappear. The eye had closed and burst into a cloud of smoke, signaling the end of it's corruption, and the leftover black and pink fluid began to follow. With a final shout of pain, the Malice completely disappeared from the Zora's body, leaving him to clutch the ground in exhaustion. 

 

"Branik!" called his lover, rushing over and falling to his knees, arms wrapping around his neck and shoulders. "Thank the Goddess, you're back, you're back!"

 

Link observed the two reunite, Branik commenting on his splitting headache and sore face, while Aptulo held him close with relieved tears flowing down his cheeks. It made him feel better about not giving the final blow, for it seemed to be something Aptulo had wanted to be the one to end himself. He watched as the smaller teal Zora helped his husband to his feet, beginning to lead him back to the Promenade. Link decided it was best to stick around for a while, and make sure that the Zora was well again.

 

Standing there in the clearing, the fire dying around him and the smoke clearing, the Hero wondered if there were others like Branik: so easily infected by Malice. 

 

It made him worry.

 


End file.
